Project Gau Shala Gains Speed, Many Organizations Show Keen Interest

Bhopal: Acting fast on the instructions of Chief Minister Kamal Nath, the Project Gau Shala has gained speed. A number of reputed institutions have shown interest in setting up of Gau Shala in eight districts. Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee and National Institutes of Technology are also coming forward to make Gau Shalas sustainable. Expert bodies like BAIF are also keen to adopt Gau Shala. The draft of the Gau Shala policy is ready and Gau Shala Bill is being considered. This is for the first time the task of giving shelter to homeless cattle has been taken on such a massive scale.

The Chief Minister Kamal Nath reviewed the progress of the Gau Shala project at Mantralaya here today and asked the concerning authorities to take concrete action in the next three weeks.

It was informed in the meeting that more than six hundred sites have been identified where the Gau Shalas could be set up. The process is going on. Shifting of more than nine thousand uncared bovine animals has already started. The Chief Minister also gave instructions to incorporate the provision of sharing funds for operation of Gau Shalas in the guideline for the use of the social corporate responsibility fund available with industrial companies operative in the state.

Nath asked the concerning officers to speed up setting up of Gau Shalas in problematic districts. He instructed all concerned departments to make better use of available budget.

Operational Priorities Fixed
The Chief Minister gave instructions to give top priority to the district level committee for operation and management of Gau Shalas. Second priority to the Panchayat, third to Self-help groups and fourth to committed NGOs. He said that the responsibility for the operation of Gau Shalas in non-forest villages must be taken up by the Department of Animal Husbandry while in forest villages, the responsibility would be owned by the Department of Forest. The Chief Minister gave instructions to form a coordination committee of Additional Chief Secretaries headed by the Chief Secretary to address emerging issues. He said that all levels of panchayats and panchayat secretaries should take up the responsibility of management of Gau Shalas.